Bluegrass Times

There were 20 deaths from nephritis, nephrotic syndrome and nephrosis reported in Kentucky in the week ending May 29, making up two percent of total deaths by all causes in Kentucky, according to The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

In the week ending May 29, there were 1,002 deaths in the state. 19.3 percent of deaths were caused by heart disease, 20.8 percent were from cancer and 10.7 percent were from COVID-19. Additionally, 8.2 percent of deaths were from Alzheimer's disease and dementia.

Studies show doctors and medical examiners may underreport Alzheimer's disease and dementia-related conditions as the underlying cause of death on death certificates, according to the National Institute on Aging.

Once infected, older adults with dementia are likely to develop a more severe and dangerous illness. The diseases which make an older adult more vulnerable to COVID-19 are age-associated chronic conditions, according to the Bright Focus Foundation.

Cause of Death	Cause of Death	% of Total Deaths
Malignant neoplasms (cancerous tumor)	208	20.8
Heart disease	193	19.3
Chronic lower respiratory diseases	65	6.5
COVID-19 (multiple cause)	61	6.1
COVID-19 (underlying cause)	46	4.6
Cerebrovascular diseases	43	4.3
Diabetes mellitus	31	3.1
Alzheimer's disease	27	2.7
Nephritis, nephrotic syndrome and nephrosis	20	2
Influenza and pneumonia	13	1.3

Cause of Death	Cause of Death	% of Total Deaths
Alzheimer disease and dementia	82	8.2